Nightwing: Out of Time 3 The Hunt for Black Robin
by Darth Yoshi
Summary: In an effort to find the daughter he's been told he has, Nightwing enlists the aid of Oracle and Wonder Woman, with some very, very unexpected results...
1. Chapter 1

Nightwing: Out of Time 3 – The Hunt for Black Robin

Chapter 1

By Christopher W. Blaine

e-mail: darth_yoshi@yahoo.com

DISCLAIMER: Nightwing™ and all other characters and situations portrayed in this story are ©2002 by DC Comics Inc., an AOL/Time-Warner Company, and are used without permission for fan-related entertainment purposes only. No profit is made from this writing. This original story is ©2002 by Christopher W. Blaine and may not be reproduced in part or as a whole without the express consent of the author.

"Mommy, who is my daddy?" the little blonde-haired girl asked.

The woman, a former assassin in the employ of Ra's Al Ghul, stared at the child's wide, innocent eyes. "A hero, Andrea," was all that she said as she prepared their simple lunch. As she put the peanut butter to the bread, she looked outside the dirty window over her sink at the hellhole they had moved in to. She wondered if having taken Andrea away had been such a wise decision.

This wretched slum held no real fear for the woman; she was a trained killer. She had killed more than a hundred people in the service of Ra's Al Ghul and she had done so with the zeal required in order to be considered worthy of his attention. Andrea, however, had been something that even an assassin could not tolerate. A child created from the genetic materials of two people, one of them being Richard Grayson, the super-hero Nightwing, once the original Robin. 

The other…well, there was really no need to dwell on that since Ra's had used Grayson's material in order to allow Andrea to get close to the hero's adoptive father, Bruce Wayne. Bruce Wayne was also the Batman, the hated Detective that pursued and punished Ra's at every turn. The plan had been to raise Andrea to be a suicide soldier and the woman could not stomach the thought. 

It was one thing for an adult to make a decision to become a killer; it was another to take that choice away from a child. It showed the assassin just how sick the mind of Al Ghul was and she had taken it upon herself to rescue the child. They now hid, Andrea simply believing they were poor. The truth was that the woman had access to more money than she could ever hope to spend; all secreted away in private accounts all over the world. No, they needed to hide here away from her brethren still in Ra's service.

"Is he Superman?" Andrea asked, not satisfied with the previous answer.

"No."

"Is he Gween Wantern?"

"No."

"Is he Pwesident Wuthor?"

The woman laughed. She had actually slept with Lex Luthor once in order to gain some information for her master. "No, dear, the president is far too busy to have children."

"How do you know my daddy is a hewo?"

The woman sighed and put the sandwich on the table. Andrea clapped her hands and climbed up into the chair, wanting to sit like a big girl. The woman walked over and poured some juice in a glass and was about to answer when there was a pounding at the door.

Andrea was startled but the woman calmed her, explaining that she was to stay in the kitchen while mommy answered the door. The woman moved quickly, stopped to grab the dagger she kept on a shelf above the kitchen doorway. There was more pounding on the door and she looked through the peephole. She sighed again and realized that this matter was going to have to be dealt with.

She unhooked the chain and opened the door. Two large men stood there. "Yo, bitch, 'bout time you opens the door," one of the men, the obvious alpha male of the two, said. He was pale skinned, almost white, with a ball cap on sideways and a shirt that said "Dyn-o-Mite".

"I told you before that I am uninterested in your advances, little man," she said in a stern voice.

The man pointed to his crotch. "Baby, you gonna take this and you is gonna like it. See…I'm your man and you is going to be my bitch."

The woman rolled her eyes and the man went to slap her. It was predictable attack. Ever since she had moved into this housing project two months before, this man had been trying to get her to be one of his prostitutes. Her constant refusals only served to anger him more. Now he was here to help mend his wounded ego.

She caught the hand and surprised him with her strength. The dagger went out, stabbing through the man's throat twice before he could blink. She shoved him aside even as he became a crimson fountain and moved towards his friend. The other man made a desperate swing with his ham hock fist, but she ducked it easily. 

Five seconds later, he was falling to the floor, clutching at the cut across his own neck. She then stepped back into her apartment and closed the door. There was blood on her shirt and so she removed it, stepping into her bedroom to retrieve a new one. When she walked back into the kitchen, Andrea was munching on her crust.

The little girl looked up at her mother and saw the look in her eyes. "We have to move again?"

The woman nodded. "This time, though, I promise it will be a clean, safe place." She meant it too. Too many times she had to kill to protect their identity and it just didn't seem worth it just to live in rat holes. If she were going to kill, it was going to be for something worthwhile. "We have to go out the back stairs again."

Andrea sighed and got down to go retrieve her coat. The woman watched her and wondered if maybe she should consider finding a man to marry. The woman was beautiful, despite her attempts to look homely. She was, after all, a woman who had charmed Lex Luthor into bed and nobody had stricter standards! But then she would be lying to two people then, unable to come clean about her past or Andrea's identity.

It was hard on both of them, though. Andrea so much wanted a father and the woman was lonely she had to admit. There were times when a strong shoulder to cry on was a necessity. 

She fought back the tears and blinked her eyes. Andrea came marching in, trying to button her little jacket. The woman stooped down and helped her. "Can we go live with my daddy?" she asked.

"No, dear, we can't."

"He hates me," the little girl said and the woman pulled her close. "He hates me mommy! He hates me!"

Nightwing stood back, arms folded over his well-muscled chest and trying to breathe as quietly as he could. Next to him, Superman stood in the same position but there seemed to be something noble about the way he did it. Even Nightwing, someone who had traveled through time and space and had worked with the Man of Steel several times, was still in awe of the man whenever he was near him.

In front of them, two women in lab coats were busy looking over several papers, pointing and gesturing every now and then to something that caught their eye. The tension in the room was so thick it was unnerving and the only thing that kept Nightwing's temper in place was the calming presence of Superman. It was the Kryptonian that had secured the use of this private laboratory.

Finally, one of the women turned around and pushed her glasses up. "Mr. Nightwing," she began. "We have finished our testing of the blood sample you provided. I'm afraid we can't help you in this matter. If this is a sample from a clone as you and Superman state, then the cloning was done with technology not available in the United States. It's too perfect."

Nightwing didn't mask his confusion. "What does that mean?"

The other scientist, a young redhead who had been casting glances at both heroes the entire day, smiled. It was a perfect smile that caught Nightwing off guard. "This isn't the blood of a clone. Trust us. It has all of the impurities you'd expect from someone who ate too many hamburgers." Nightwing looked confused. "She had high cholesterol, took birth control and was getting over a cold." The redhead handed over a file folder. "We then looked into trying to match the genetic pattern of the father and mother as you asked in the event the blood did not come from a clone."

The other scientist opened the folder and pointed to several DNA profiles. "This is the DNA profile of the father as you provided to us, and this is the complete profile of the Jane Doe. They were definitely related, no question about it. We were able to come up with a pretty good profile of the mother."

Superman leaned over and observed. "What is this note down here?" he asked, pointing to some handwritten words.

"Oh! Yes, the mother is apparently a carrier of King James Syndrome," the redhead said with the same smile. "It's a rare genetic disorder that was first discovered in a cousin to King James. It occurs in less than 1% of the population. She gave it to her child."

"I've never heard of it," Nightwing commented.

"There are hundreds of little disorders out there, but this one is one of the more rare ones. In about ten percent of the infected persons it causes severe mental problems. It sort of spread rampant through the European royal families for a few generations and then found its way over here. Modern drug therapies help out the people who suffer from it for the most part." 

Nightwing and Superman thanked the two women and started to leave. The redhead called after them. The two heroes stopped and the woman handed over a business card to Nightwing. "If you need anything else, please give me a call." She smiled again and a warm, fuzzy feeling settled over Nightwing. When she was gone, he looked down to see that her home phone number was scrawled on the back of the card.

"Are you going to call her?" Superman asked with a grin. 

Nightwing scratched his head. "I don't know…she was cute…"

Superman clapped him on the back. "Ah, to be young again! I miss the days of chasing Lois, never knowing if I was ever going to get her."

"Right…Superman never gets the girl," Nightwing added with sarcasm. They walked outside the building and stepped into the cool night air. Nightwing looked over at his car. "I wish I could fly."

"It does have its benefits," the Man of Steel commented. "Are you going to be okay, son?"

Nightwing nodded. "Yeah, I was just thinking of Andrea." He turned his head to the sky, wondering if someone who was meant to die in a future that hadn't happened yet could be in Heaven looking down on him.

It had all started when a mysterious black-clad woman called, aptly enough, Black Robin, had broken into Dick Grayson's apartment to whisk him away to thirty years in the future. There, Per Degaton, a time-traveling villain who had met defeat at Nightwing's hands previously, had placed a city-destroying bomb in New Metropolis. 

Nightwing and Black Robin, with the help of the Justice League, tracked down the bomb. During the adventure, Nightwing had learned that Black Robin was his daughter; a daughter he never knew existed. 

Just when it seemed that the world was going to be saved, fellow Justice League member Earthian, the son of Geo-Force, struck a killing blow to Black Robin. No reason was ever given and the killer got away despite the efforts of the Legion of Super-Heroes that had arrived to investigate the time traveling that had been going on.

Now, back in his own time, Nightwing was on a search to find his daughter, a little girl that was growing up thinking he didn't care about her. The problem was that he didn't know where she was or who her mother was. "I've got to think this through. Per Degaton said that Ra's Al Ghul had her created to be used as a weapon against Bruce."

"Have you thought about going to Bruce?"

Nightwing blanched. "After everything Al Ghul has done, I think this would be the final straw. I think that using a child as a weapon against him would be enough to push him over the edge."

"What about you?" Superman asked, concern in his voice. "You have…lost it…"

Nightwing nodded. There was a time, not too long ago, when Nightwing had been given the power of life and death over the Joker. The Joker represented everything that Nightwing hated in life, he considered the Clown Prince of Crime a perversion of humanity. It had been the Joker who had killed Jason Todd, the second Robin; it had been the Joker who had paralyzed and raped Barbara Gordon, Nightwing's former girlfriend; it had been the Joker who had killed Sarah Gordon, beloved wife of Commissioner James Gordon. Anything that was wrong in the world seemed to have Joker written all over it.

Throughout his crime fighting career, Nightwing had held true to the one law that could not be broken: thou shall not kill. Well, he mused, he had broken that rule. He had killed the Joker and only Batman's intervention allowed the criminal to be revived. That single act had put a cloud of mistrust over the hero he was still trying to dissipate. "Don't worry, Superman; I'm not out to kill Al Ghul, just save the little girl."

"I still think you should bring Bruce into the picture. You're underestimating him."

"And you overestimate his control. I've known him most of my life and I still don't understand what makes him tick." Nightwing's voice was filled with anger and frustration. "He's my father and he's a perfect stranger. I suppose that maybe I feel that this is my own problem." He sighed, knowing that he was lying to the one man in the world that represented truth and justice. "In the future," he began quietly, "Andrea had a great relationship with Bruce. I only caught glimpses of it, but there was a real love between them. He became her father."

"And you're afraid that will happen in this situation?"

Nightwing nodded slowly. "This is a whole new area of family life we're entering into. I don't know how Bruce will react; I don't know if he will try to make up for what he felt his failures were with Jason and me. Hell, maybe all he ever wanted was a little girl anyway."

"The softer side of Batman, I would love to see that," Superman chuckled. He then started to float up into the sky. "I admire what you're doing, son; call me if I can help out any more."

In an instant, he was gone, heading back to his home and wife in Metropolis, leaving the young hero from Bludhaven alone with his thoughts.

"Do you see him?" Per Degaton asked.

"Yeah," his companion responded, bringing the binoculars down. "So what? A kid dressed in black with a friend who can fly. Whoopee!"

"That 'friend' is Superman, the greatest champion of this era. Imagine a cross between Hawkman, Green Lantern and Hourman," the red-haired criminal said. He was dressed casually, just as the other man was, matching what he assumed was the latest fashion trends. "You want to avoid him."

"Sure, whatever," the other man said. "So, I kill the little punk for you and you will…"

"Provide you with enough information that you'll be able to invest money in the appropriate places so that y 1952, you'll be a rich man." Per Degaton started moving towards the car he had rented. His companion had wanted to steal one, but had been warned off. "The police of this day and age are not the bumbling buffoons of our time period, my friend; they have ways of tracking stolen vehicles."

He regarded the man that was with him and wondered if recruiting him for his vengeance on Nightwing was a wise choice. Twice the hero had ruined his plans; two times Per Degaton, the man who would be master of the world, was humbled before Nightwing. He had spent the last few months incognito here in the future, far removed from his own time period of 1942, watching the hero, learning all he could about him. He already knew his secret identity and he thought about just giving the information away to the various criminal elements of the day.

That would only work against him, he figured; Nightwing had demonstrated a willingness to kill, after all. Who knew what he would do to protect his name? Per Degaton was no fool; the athletic super-hero would best him in single combat and that was exactly why he had employed his super-powered friend.

Revenge was a patient thing even if Per Degaton wasn't. He would have had his associate strike now if it wasn't for the fact that he understood exactly what Nightwing was looking for. It had been he, Per Degaton that had revealed the truth of Black Robin to the hero. With his background in science and research, Per Degaton began to piece together the puzzle as he watched Nightwing travel from lab to lab. 

What a delicious revenge it would be when Nightwing would be just within reach of his goal, only to see that goal destroyed before his very eyes. 


	2. Chapter 2

Nightwing: Out of Time 3 – The Hunt for Black Robin

Chapter 2

By Christopher W. Blaine

e-mail: darth_yoshi@yahoo.com

DISCLAIMER: Nightwing™ and all other characters and situations portrayed in this story are ©2002 by DC Comics Inc., an AOL/Time-Warner Company, and are used without permission for fan-related entertainment purposes only. No profit is made from this writing. This original story is ©2002 by Christopher W. Blaine and may not be reproduced in part or as a whole without the express consent of the author.

"I suppose I should have done this a long time ago," Nightwing said as he pulled back his mask. Barbara Gordon looked up at him and felt a slight pain when she looked at his face. They were no longer a "couple", but still remained friends and allies in the war against crime. He seemed to note her expression and put on one of his best smiles. "She told me we wouldn't remain together."

"You said that before, but weren't you supposed to have disappeared before that was supposed to have happened?" Barbara asked as she wheeled her chair into the kitchen to get the whistling teakettle. 

"I think she was making an assumption based on how our relationship was going; she knew a lot more about me than I knew about her." He sat down and looked at the various printouts that were scattered over the computer desk. "I really appreciate this."

She nodded and went back to making their tea. There was tenseness between them that didn't belong. They both knew it would pass in time. "I just don't think going over a list of your old girlfriends is something I'm personally going to enjoy."

"Well," he began, rubbing the back of his head, "to be honest, given our current state of relationship, I'm not comfortable discussing it with you."

"Oh," she responded coolly. She should have expected this. Their relationship had been a raging fire that burned itself out too quickly. The embers were still glowing and he was afraid of getting burned. "Some things maybe I shouldn't know about?"

"I'd just prefer to go over those details with Roy and Wally."

"In case you want to get into the explicit details…I understand," she said truthfully. She hoped that was the only reason and she looked down at her unmoving legs, holding back the tears. She knew he loved her, but there was no way they could be together. Their lifestyles and wants and desires were too varied for anything serious at this point in their lives. She didn't want to find out that he had allowed his baser urges to get the best of him at any time they were together. It would ruin her perceptions of him and she couldn't live with that. "So, what do you want me to do?"

"I'm pretty sure that Andrea was enrolled in school, so I'd like you to search the entire country for little girls between 3 and 8 that match her description." He made it seem like it was no small task, and in reality it wasn't. Barbara had already written up a search program that would tap into the National Education Association database and spit out the answers for her. The problem was the time. "It will take a while," she said as she wheeled in with his drink.

He took it and sipped. "Added a little honey…thank you."

She accepted the compliment with a grin. "I can cook you know."

"Boil water at least; must have learned that from your dad," he chided.

"Dad can't unwrap a candy bar without burning it, mister!" she shot back. She then moved into her comfortable spot at the desk and started typing on her laptop. "I'm having Dinah check out anything local that I find."

"Local being?"

"The tri-state area. She doesn't mind and no, she doesn't know why she's looking for this little girl." Nightwing breathed a sigh of relief. The Black Canary was a good friend and slick operative. There was a good chance she knew who Nightwing was, but she never pressed the issue because of his relationship with Batman. It was sort of "don't ask, don't tell", but that also meant that he had to take certain precautions against his secret being let out.

"Tell her I owe her a steak dinner," he said as he took another sip.

"Dinah prefers diamonds and roses."

"Dinah gets a steak."

"I prefer diamonds and roses."

"Barbara gets…" he broke off and she realized the awkward moment she had caused with her light teasing. She looked over at him and thought she saw some wetness forming in his eyes, but then it was hidden as he brought the steaming cup up to his lips.

They continued on in silence for the next half-hour watching as the names began to list on the screen in front of them. No single name and place jumped out at either one of them. Finally, Nightwing stretched and yawned. "I've got to go," he said.

Not too long before, he would have simply gone into the bedroom and lay down, but that was impossible now. Barbara tried to bring up in her mind what the single item was that made it unlikely that they would ever stay together, but it didn't heed her commands. She felt lost and alone and she wanted to reach out to him, but it was too late. 

Someday, maybe, the damage could be repaired. They may even get that third or fourth shot at happiness. But that was not going to happen tonight. "I'll let you know what comes up," she said as a good-bye.

He nodded, replaced the mask and caught himself stooping down to give her a kiss. Again, time seemed to stand still and that feeling that you were doing something wrong crept up his spine. He turned abruptly, moved to the window, and jumped into the freedom of the night.

"So, we know that whoever this Andrea woman was, her mother was somebody you had to have slept with," Roy Harper said as he picked his fingernails with an arrow tip. Clad in his Arsenal costume since he was technically on patrol (if you call stopping by Dick Grayson's apartment with a six-pack of beer patrolling), he looked out of place in the rather mundane home of his friend. There was nothing in the apartment to suggest that the occupant was the sole heir to the Wayne Fortune or that he was independently wealthy himself. "This place looks like my apartment when I was in college," Roy said.

Dick looked at him, sipping the beer. It tasted bad but he didn't want to seem ungrateful to his friend. "You were in college for a month and you spent it playing the drums and making amateur movies like 'Girls Gone Stupid'."

"Yes, but as I point out to Ollie," he said, referring to Oliver Queen, also known as Green Arrow, "I did got to college."

"Getting back to the subject at hand," Dick said, putting the beer down, "I have to assume it was someone that Bruce would have thought I _might_ have slept with."

"Bruce would have checked everything, that's for sure," Wally West, the Flash, said as he stepped out of the kitchen, carrying a pizza. He was also dressed in his costume and Dick moved over to check the drawn curtains for the hundredth time. "So, is there a chance you actually have a kid out there?"

"I've gone over it a hundred times and I keep drawing a blank. Andrea would have been born around the time I was with Kory," he said as he remembered the exotic beauty of the alien princess. Kory Anders had been a fellow teammate on the Teen Titans, going by the code-name Starfire. They had nearly gotten married only a few years before.

"And you never cheated on her, right?" Roy asked with a big grin. Dick did not immediately answer and Wally soon began to choke. "Dickie, tell me it ain't true," Roy said in an excited voice.

"You were sleeping with the hottest chick on the planet and still fooled around?" a disbelieving Wally asked.

Dick was silent for a few moments, hoping that the darkness of the corner would hide the redness of his face. His friends had always looked upon him as being the "good one", the "stable one", and the guy who knew how to have a great relationship. He wasn't so much afraid to admit his failings as he was embarrassed. He never asked for the titles they placed upon him, but he had never denied them either. "Just a few times…whenever we would fight or…"

"Or some babe took her clothes off? Yeah, I've been there, man," Roy said as he chugged a beer. A belch later he continued. "Hey, at least you didn't sleep with an international terrorist like I did!"

"You fell in love with her, Roy; some people call that sweet," Dick responded.

"So, who was it?" Wally asked, chomping away on the pizza.

"Donna."

"Wally," Roy began, scratching his head, "wasn't Donna a married woman at that time?"

"Yes, dear Roy, I believe she was. Our virginal Wonder Girl obviously fell under the evil Bat-Boy's spell," Wally responded between bites. "Must have been the sock he stuck in those short pants!"

"No, it was the little green booties!"

"Enough, guys," Dick said, his embarrassment starting to get the best of him. "It's obvious that Donna didn't have my child, so who else could it have been?"

"Was there anyone else besides Donna?" Roy asked.

Dick shook his head. "Not that I can remember…well…except Barbara."

"Heard that story already, buddy," Wally commented as he brushed some crumbs off his chest. "So, maybe its someone you didn't go out with but somebody you encountered."

"That's a long list," Dick lamented.

"At least you can remember your list, Dickie," Roy laughed. "I was on so much horse I can't remember anything from 17 to 19!"

"That was your 'my name is Roy and I am gay' stage," Wally said with a grin.

Dick started to nod and Roy looked at them. "That isn't funny! I really can't remember!"

"I'm sorry, Princess Diana," Nightwing said as he entered through the balcony door. Wonder Woman, sans the boots and tiara, was sitting on the couch in Donna Troy's apartment, channel surfing. "I didn't realize you would be here."

The Amazing Amazon smiled and stood up. Even without the heels, she was still taller than him and he felt a little intimidated. He found himself comparing her to the future version he had met. That Wonder Woman had dyed her hair blonde and was equipped with a set of breast enhancements, the result of a battle with cancer.

She had asked him to tell her past self to perform the monthly exams that all women should do, regardless of their heritage. He had done so through Donna Troy, Diana's twin sister. "Its always such a pleasure to see you, Richard," she said with a smile.

Where the redheaded doctor's smile had been sweet, Diana's was heart melting. She was beautiful in a way that words could not describe and she radiated a warmth that made him think of a spring day. He found it hard to believe that she and Donna were identical twins as there was so much different between the two.

He accepted her outstretched hand, wondering if he should kiss it seeing as she was royalty. Luckily, she pulled it away before he could make a decision. "Donna is away, visiting her foster parents for the week. She told me to make myself at home."

"I didn't think you watched television," he said, indicating the television that had held her attention. "Lifetime or Oxygen?" he asked, naming the leading cable channels that had women's programming.

"Cartoon Network," she responded, turning to go turn the television off. Nightwing watched her walk away, admiring not so much her physical form, but the confidence she demonstrated even when she was relaxed. Her body was a weapon and a work of art at the same time. "Are you hungry? I was about to cook some dinner."

He was hungry and his stomach growled at the anticipation of food. "I'll stay if you let me help."

"I think it is a noble effort you are pursuing, Richard," Diana said. She refused to refer to him as Nightwing even though he was still wearing his costume and mask. "I can understand your frustration over all of this, but some of it is your fault."

Nightwing shoveled some potatoes in his mouth. "How so?" he asked, much to her chagrin.

She handed over a napkin. "You wouldn't be at odds with yourself if it wasn't for the fact of your promiscuity. You were involved in a relationship and still wandered outside of it and you have to wonder if there are some consequences to your actions."

Diana took a drink of spring water. "Too many children are born today to broken homes because too many people are ready to engage in lovemaking at the drop of a hat. To wield the power of creation, the power to create life, is not something to be taken lightly."

"I use protection," Nightwing offered in his defense.

"Sure, to protect yourself. You don't call it birth control, you call it protection. You aren't making love to someone to show your feelings and perhaps delaying starting a family; you are wrapping your little John-Thomas up tight because you don't want to be burdened." She reached over and wiped away some food he didn't get. "This little girl is a special case, I realize, created through a plan that is nothing but evil, but it still has caused you to reflect upon your past and you're worried.

"Like so many women today in this country, you are looking at the specter of single parenthood if you are successful in your pursuit of this Black Robin." She collected the plates and took them over to the sink to rinse. "Don't think me a prude; I am an Amazon, not a vestal virgin, we do know what sex is and we understand pleasure. But we also understand the responsibility that comes with the act. Right now, you are going over every sexual encounter you ever had, over and over in your mind. Many you wish you could take away, many more you don't."

Nightwing only nodded. She was right, of course, because she was looking at things from not only a rational viewpoint, but also an emotional one. He was scared of raising a little girl on his own because his primary example was Bruce and that led down a path of things he didn't want to think of. He also wondered who the mother was and if it had been someone he had slept with, on the off chance that Al Ghul didn't create Andrea, then that woman was raising that child on her own.

What does that do to a child? He knew the answer. How many times had he cried himself to sleep, wishing he had a mother after his own had been killed? Bruce tried in his own way, as did Alfred, but there was something unique about a two parent system that almost seemed to guarantee results.

He reached down to his utility belt and pulled out the business card that held the pretty doctor's phone number. If he were to call her, he knew it was for only one reason. He was not about to give up sex for the duration, but something that Diana said made sense. There was a difference between doing the act with a stranger and doing it with someone you cared about.

After he tossed the remains of the card into the trash, he gave Diana a peck on the check. "Thank you, your highness, you've given me much to think about."

"Before you go, could I ask a favor?" she asked as she dried her hands. He indicated he was at her service. "I would like to join you on your quest. You brought me advice from the future that I am putting to use though the concept of an Amazon getting breast cancer still seems so foreign. Donna says you are an honorable man and some of the 'old guard' has been questioning that of late. This is something that would fit well in my mission to bring peace to the Man's World. Preventing a damaged life is the same as saving one in danger of being ended."

He nodded. "I'd love the help."

She handed him the trash bag. "Good. Now drop this off on your way out." He laughed and headed towards the balcony. "Oh, and Richard, try using the front door as I would hate to have to beat the hell out of you the next time you sneak up on me."

He looked at her, slightly shocked and then considered she was probably more than capable of handing him his hindquarters on a platter. "Yes, ma'am!" he said with a salute. A moment later, armed with a bag of garbage, he slipped into the night.

"Mommy, is my daddy the Batman?" Andrea asked.

The woman looked up from her book. It was late and the bus smelled like feet and diapers and she had hoped the little one would have fallen asleep by now. The mention of the Batman had put a momentary shiver through her. He may have been the greatest enemy of her former master, but he was also the lover of Talia, Ra's Al Ghul's vixen daughter. 

The woman was never quite sure of the extent of the relationship between Batman and Talia and that was enough to make her afraid. Would the Batman turn her over to Talia to gain favor? The Dark Knight was simply impossible for the woman to read. "Why would you sat that, baby?"

"The Batman is dark and spooky. He eats kids!" Andrea said with the sureness that came with innocence.

"He doesn't eat children, dear, but no, he isn't your father."

Andrea thought about it for a minute. "Mommy, I think Batman eats kids."

The woman shook her head and put her nose back in her book and several minutes later, Andrea was pulling on her sleeve. "He ate Wobin!"

The woman swallowed hard. "No, he didn't, dear."

"Wobin used wear his panties and a cape, now he has long johns. They aren't the same, mommy! Batman ate Wobin!"

The woman decided not to argue anymore; Andrea was far too intelligent and far too belligerent to continue the discussion with. The little girl had a knack for arguing when she thought she was right. Sometimes that streak turned ugly.

It was during those times Andrea most resembled her mother.


	3. Chapter 3

Nightwing: Out of Time 3 – The Hunt for Black Robin

Chapter 3

By Christopher W. Blaine

e-mail: darth_yoshi@yahoo.com

DISCLAIMER: Nightwing™ and all other characters and situations portrayed in this story are ©2002 by DC Comics Inc., an AOL/Time-Warner Company, and are used without permission for fan-related entertainment purposes only. No profit is made from this writing. This original story is ©2002 by Christopher W. Blaine and may not be reproduced in part or as a whole without the express consent of the author.

"I've gotten several hits," Barbara said into her headset as she worked on her toaster's wiring, "one in Midway City that looks promising."

"Why is that?" Dick asked as he spoke into a similar headset while he did push-ups. Midway City was the old stomping grounds of Hawkman, but he wasn't too sure where the Winged Wonder was roosting now.

"A missing persons report was placed concerning a woman named Rebecca Lawson and her daughter Andrea by a social worker. School records show that Andrea was enrolled in a local public school for only three months before they disappeared." Barbara muted the connection while she threw a few curse words at her ornery appliance. "Their social security numbers are fake, but the local cops don't know that. The report was filed by the Midway City cops after two gang-bangers were found dead outside the Lawson apartment in the housing projects."

"Did they leave in a hurry?"

"Police report pretty much says that; I took the liberty of e-mailing it to you."

He grunted and then stopped to sit on his floor. "Any thoughts on where they would go?"

"They seem to be avoiding any towns with a Bat connection. I've traced them to three other cities in the past two years." She rolled over to her worktable and hit a few keys on her laptop. "Keystone City, San Francisco and Boise."

"Doesn't give me much to go on," he groused. He took a deep breath. "I'll talk it over with Diana tomorrow…"

"Diana?" Barbara asked, a lump forming in her throat. Was there not any female super-hero that didn't seem to jump at the chance to work with Nightwing? She felt silly feeling that way and she regretted making the outburst.

Nightwing dismissed it. "Yes, she's agreed to help out."

"I thought you worked alone."

There was a short pause. "She…has resources to offer…"

_I'll bet I know what those 'resources' are too!_ "Sure. Whatever, Dick. Listen, I've got to go; Bruce wants me to do some research on something else for him." It was a lie, but it was the only reasonable one she could think of. The cold specter of the woman she could have been had it not been for the Joker hung over her like an angel of death.

Barbara Gordon did not normally pity herself, she had long since passed that stage; sometimes, however, the circumstances of her existence got the better of her. Love was an incredibly powerful force, but even it could not overcome every shortcoming. Time and time again, Dick had told her that her condition did not matter to him and she believed that with all of her heart. 

It was a problem for her and he didn't see that.

He could not understand what it was like to be involved with someone and not be able to do the things you wanted. She wasn't dead, just wounded and her sex drive was as active now as it ever had been, psychologically, of course. She remembered quite well the feelings, the bulging muscles knotted into sinewy cords, the sweat and the ecstasy. It was not something easily forgotten.

"Will you be available later?" he asked, his voice very quiet.

"Much later," she said, wiping a tear from her eye. This whole mess with Andrea was tearing her apart. She saw the way he was pursuing this matter because while frightening, the idea of becoming a parent was also exciting to him. Flesh of his flesh…there was no substitute and she knew that it was the one thing she could not give him.

The line went dead and she slowly pulled the headset off and then put her face in her hands.

A rooftop away, the Batman dropped the electronic ear he had pointed at Barbara's window and shook his head. He had held reservations about his son and the daughter of his best friend getting together since the first time they had met. It was obvious even then how much they were attracted to each other. It was too bad that attraction was destined to destroy them.

The Batman was no stranger to such things. The one woman in the world that could make him stutter in his speech, cloud his judgment and make him wish for the things a normal life could provide was Talia, the daughter of Ra's Al Ghul. He had noted that Barbara had accessed his personal files on the villain the night before. That was not so strange except that Wonder Woman had done the same thing.

The Batcomputer files, for the most part, were open to his fellow JLA members, part of Superman's new policy of "no secrets". Certainly Al Ghul was someone to keep up on but having two of the worlds most intelligent people access the information on the same night was not a coincidence.

Besides, the Batman did not believe in coincidences.

He had only gotten part of the conversation, but he understood that his son was looking into some murders in Midway City and that they were somehow connected to Ra's Al Ghul. Also, he had enlisted the help of Wonder Woman, a strange choice indeed.

Something was up and the Batman intended to find out exactly what it was.

"I'll be right out, Richard," Diana called from the shower. Nightwing noted that the bathroom door was open and it took all of his discipline not to look. He instead busied himself looking through the magazines on Donna's table.

Several minutes later, Wonder Woman appeared in full costume, toweling her long dark hair. Nightwing did not bother to look up. "Leaving the bathroom door open is a mistake."

"Why? You may have wanted to look, but you would not allow yourself to. It's called honor, Richard, and it is the redeeming quality I find in men. Some men have a perverse sense of it, while others know its true meaning." She put the towel on the floor and bent over, allowing her hair to hang while she brushed it. "You have an honor streak that is not only true and proper," she said before looking up at him and giving him a wink, "but it is quite attractive as well. Don't think that women are only interested in your muscles. I've met Hercules."

Nightwing watched her brush her hair, wondering if she was flirting or trying to teach him another lesson. It was so damn difficult dealing with a woman who was hundred, maybe thousands, of years old but looked like she could fit in at any college dorm. "Are you sure you want to help?" he asked, changing the subject.

"Ra's Al Ghul is a vile man who has brought harm to this little girl without even lifting a finger. Oh yes, I am quite sure about this." She stood back up and threw her hair back and it fell into place, perfectly. "Do you wish to drive to Midway City? I can fly and carry you…"

"It might be best if we borrowed one of the Titans' aircraft, in case we find Andrea," he offered. "She might not take well to be carried through the air." The truth was that having Wonder Woman carry him brought back unpleasant memories of when either Donna or Kory had done so because Robin, the Teen Wonder, could not soar like his namesake. Wally, then Kid Flash, had given him too much hell about it for him to ever be comfortable with it again. If he had a choice, he'd rather pilot a plane.

"Good thinking!" she said. "We just need to stop to get some breakfast. It is important to maintain a healthy diet in our line of work." She moved towards the door and then stopped. "How did you get in with your costume on?"

"Trade secret, I'm afraid," he said with a grin. He could tell she wanted to ask more, but she decided not to. The Batman had after all, trained Nightwing. "We'll have to go out the window. Try to keep up."

"If you discover the mother," Wonder Woman asked as the flew towards Midway City, "what will you do?"

Nightwing chewed on his lower lip. "I've thought about that and to be honest, I don't know. The fact that Andrea was artificially created in another country already has a host of legal problems when I try to claim custody. And," he added with a grim tone, "it isn't like Ra's Al Ghul is going to march into court to proclaim my parental rights."

"And if the mother fights for custody?"

He sighed. "I'll more than likely lose. Dick Grayson is not the model citizen a family court is likely to put a child with if given a choice. I live in a bad part of Bludhaven; I'm a cop which is inherently dangerous and I'm allegedly estranged from my foster-father, Bruce Wayne. Most of my actual funds are tucked away in special accounts here and there."

"Do you think that a single parent should be allowed to raise a child?"

He rocked his head back and forth before making a speed adjustment. "Do I think that life would have been easier of Bruce had gotten married, then the answer is no. Bruce's life is too complicated to think that hearth and home would have any positive effect. He and I are extreme cases, but for the norm, no, I do not believe that a single parent family is in the best interest of the child."

"It goes against your religious beliefs?" she asked.

He tapped the fuel gauge. "Damn thing is always sticking," he mumbled. Wonder Woman waited patiently and he slowly turned towards her. It was like staring at Donna, the same voice and the same mannerisms. However, there was decidedly something more feminine to Diana than Donna, something exotic and yet an almost girl-next-door quality. He knew that she would press him for an answer and he was surprised how easily he had fallen into conversing with the Amazon princess.

Wonder Woman was considered one of the heavy-hitters of the super-hero community, an icon that many other female (and male) heroes tried to emulate. She was accustomed to discussing a threat to the universe, not his views on God. Still, he found it hard not to reply. "It does. Call me funny but I believe there should be a mother and a father."

"I have no father," she stated as of she were ordering a pizza. "Do you find me flawed?"

"There are always exceptions to the rule. Bruce is a decent person but what would he have been like if his parents had lived? What about Superman? He was raised by a kindly _couple_ and look how far he had gone." He turned back to look ahead, something in the distant sunlight gleaming. "I know you come from a different background, a different religion…"

"Oh, you would be surprised at my personal religious beliefs. Don't think because we have an association with the gods of Olympus that we are beholden unto them. Our race, the Amazon race, is very complex and I can't break it down into terms you would understand." She leaned back and stretched and Nightwing had to force his eye from wandering. There was a mission at hand and he had to…

"Great Hera!" Wonder Woman cried out, sitting up. Nightwing looked out and saw what had caused her to jump. The gleam ahead of them was a private jet and one of the engines had just exploded.

Without speaking, they went to work. Nightwing eased back on the throttle and strapped himself in tight, while Wonder Woman moved back to the hatch. She flung it open and leapt out into the air.

The cabin pressure immediately dropped and Nightwing grabbed the oxygen mask as it fell and put it on. His costume would help keep him warm but he knew that he still needed to act fast. He couldn't close the hatch in case Wonder Woman needed to get in again.

The Amazon Princess dove hard, and then pulled herself up, using her momentum to get the extra speed she needed to catch up to the falling jet. Inside, she saw the pilot and co-pilot struggling with the controls and she noted that the engine seemed to have caused more damage than she originally thought.

She tried to signal to the pilot, but the cockpit was simply too confused for her to get through. Gritting her teeth, she swept to the underbelly of the craft and reached up. Magically enhanced muscles flexed and her fingers dug into the metal. She had to be careful, lest she tear the plane apart.

She started to push up, working against the energy of the plane's descent and the force of gravity reaching up to bring it to its bosom. She grunted and pushed again and finally started to see some results. For several minutes, she and the jet fought for control, but in the end she won. A thousand feet above the ground, the plane was righted, supported by her strong arms.

Nightwing gave a howl and pressed the button that would shut the hatch. He brought the Titans jet in behind Wonder Woman and followed her to a large field. As he set down, she brought the jet down to a soft landing. When she crawled out from underneath, the crew of the jet were already piling out. Some were weeping, while others kissed the ground. The pilot came up and offered his hand to her.

"Ma'am, I can't thank you enough," he said, his eyes leveled on her chest.

She smiled and accepted the gratuity but then hurried off to leave. Nightwing was just finishing up his call to the local sheriff's office about the plane when Wonder Woman plopped into the seat next to him. Seeing her foul mood, he didn't ask, but instead engaged the vertical take-off and hurriedly resumed their flight.

After a few moments, she turned to him. "Why is it that men cannot stop looking at breasts? What is this fascination you have with them? Mine don't even function right now since I am not with child, yet…" she waved a finger in the air, "yet, so many men act as if it my chest is me. I am…what did that one young man say to me several weeks ago…'tits with legs'."

He shrugged, not knowing what to say. He was certainly guilty of occasionally glancing down an open blouse. "I guess it's because we don't have them, so we're fascinated with them."

"That is the way of men, always wanting what isn't theirs." She folded her arms over her chest. "For every one decent man I meet, I run into ten more who are nothing but pigs."

Nightwing didn't say anything, but kept his eyes straight ahead. "That could explain why your daughter had such an attitude in the future."

Nightwing turned to her but didn't say anything. She considered that a cue to continue. "You said she was attractive, so she must have been hit on by every male she came across. She had no positive male role model, apparently, until Bruce took her in."

"There's your poster boy for emotion…"

"Actually, I find Batman's emotional level refreshing. He loves with an intensity that I have never seen. He allows his love for his parents, for you and for his friends…even his love for Gotham City to dictate his actions. He meets the basic requirements." She relaxed a little, her anger over the pilot disappearing. "Regardless, I think we both agree that having this child raised by an assassin, even one who is trying to reform, may not be in Andrea's best interest."

"Amen to that, sister," Nightwing said.

Wonder Woman laughed. "'Sister' is a term of endearment to the Amazons, Richard. Watch yourself, you never know what kind of message you're getting across."

"You sure this is the town?" the man asked.

Per Degaton took another bite of his gilled cheese. "Yes; Rebecca Lawson will settle into this city and will raise the child here."

"I'm not too sure about wasting a kid," the man said, sipping at his coffee. "I mean, that's taking it a little too far."

Per Degaton nodded. "That isn't your concern; you have been hired to kill Nightwing. You are an unknown in this time period, an ace up the sleeve. How can I ever hope to rule the world one day if my plans are constantly interrupted by a boy in long underwear?"

"These new age heroes, they ain't like the ones we fought back in forty-two, are they?"

"The Justice Society yet lives, my friend; some of their most powerful members have retained their youth up until today. Green Lantern, Hawkman, Dr. Fate…I would prefer not to encounter them. One lone hero should not be a problem." The red-haired villain stared out the window. "We have time, I believe, a couple of days before Nightwing catches on."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Heroes always find the details, they always recognize the clues. All you have to do is wait until the time is right and they always appear."


	4. Chapter 4

Nightwing: Out of Time 3 – The Hunt for Black Robin

Chapter 4

By Christopher W. Blaine

e-mail: darth_yoshi@yahoo.com

DISCLAIMER: Nightwing™ and all other characters and situations portrayed in this story are ©2002 by DC Comics Inc., an AOL/Time-Warner Company, and are used without permission for fan-related entertainment purposes only. No profit is made from this writing. This original story is ©2002 by Christopher W. Blaine and may not be reproduced in part or as a whole without the express consent of the author.

"I don't give a rat's behind what sort of United Nations status you have," the burly police detective said, chomping on the unlit cigar in his mouth. "You can shake your butt somewhere else, Miss Equal Rights, 'cause I don't have to share no damn information on no damn investigation!"

Wonder Woman put her hands on her hips, summoning all of her strength. She spoke to the policeman slowly and with an even tone. "Arrangements were made prior to our arrival through Interpol for me to have a look at your case file."

A crowd of several other officers and detectives were crowding around as Nightwing and Wonder Woman tried to discuss the situation rationally. In a way, Nightwing, who was a police officer in his other identity, could understand how the detective felt. Police officers tended to personalize crimes; they saw the victims as their own causes. They became offended when someone else came in even just to look because it insinuated that they couldn't do their job.

This officer's attitude, though, was simply too much. He was from an entirely different generation, no doubt from a time when there were no female police officers in Midway City. "First that damned Hawkman and his Hawk-bitch…urgh!"

Wonder Woman grabbed the detective and hoisted him up by his neck, applying just enough pressure to hold him in place. "First of all, I am a delegate of the United Nations, which gives me full diplomatic immunity. If I want to toss you around the office, there is nothing you can do about it. Second, I am a fully deputized federal agent which gives me the authority to review cases that may or may not have JLA significance." She then pulled him closer. "Third, I am a woman, not a bitch, not an ass-shaker, and certainly not a doormat. I am a righteous creation, a bringer of life through my womb, a nurturer, a lover and a confidant. I am submissive when I want and," she tightened her grip, "can become very aggressive when threatened. The last thing your God created was woman. Therefore, logic assumes that we are His masterpiece. Who are you to look down upon us?"

Several of the female officers began chuckling and even some of the male ones thought the spectacle was humorous. Wonder Woman released the man and minutes later they were walking out of the police department after a round of applause.

Nightwing flipped through the copies of the detective's notes. "I think I see where Andrea got her ideals from."

Wonder Woman raised an eyebrow. "She stood up for herself, is there something wrong with that?"

He shook his head. "Nope; that jerk had it coming. I guess…it's just funny that I wanted to be like Superman and it looks like my daughter wanted to be more like you."

"Kal-El is worthy of such praise, but what about Bruce? Didn't you want to be like him?"

He closed the file and the two walked along the sidewalk. There were very few stares as Midway City had long ago become accustomed to the idea of super-heroes. Every once in awhile, a construction worker would whistle (though neither Nightwing or Wonder Woman could figure out which one of them it was meant for) or someone would want an autograph. "No son wants to be like his father; they all say I'm going to be different. In the end, we wind up just like them. I live alone, can't maintain a healthy relationship, I never sleep, and I hang out with Justice League members…"

"Certainly it is a bad thing, I can see," she said sarcastically. "The Titans are so much a better class of people. Donna has already told me about the male-domination contests for her affections." She stopped to sign a piece of paper offered by a little girl and her blushing older brother. "I heard you used to write poetry. How did it go?"

_Raven locks surround an angelic face._

_My heart is no longer mine._

_Ten times I look into your eyes._

_A hundred times I fall in love._

Nightwing blushed visibly. "We were very young."

Wonder Woman made no more mention about it and the two hurried to the middle of the park where the Titans jet was sitting with two mounted police officers shaking their heads. "You burn up the grass and it'll be your ass, hero!" one of them threatened.

Nightwing nodded and started the engines, gently lifting up into the air. Wonder Woman read from the notes. "It says that a woman and young girl matching the description of Rebecca and Andrea Lawson were sighted at the bus station. Three buses left at that time. One was for Los Angeles…"

Nightwing shook his head. "Nope. She's already lived in San Francisco and wouldn't be dumb enough to walk back into dangerous territory. No doubt that Al Ghul has agents there looking for her." He put the jet on autopilot, a slow exit from Midway City and got up to look over her shoulder. He pointed at another destination. "Forget Houston as well; Black Robin had a definite northern accent."

"That leaves Cincinnati. I don't think I've ever been there," she said, tapping a fingernail against her bottom lip. "No known super-heroes either."

"Where should we start?"

"The local housing authority, I'd say."

"Then let's hurry," she said, taking the controls on her side of the cockpit. "Fasten safety belts," she said a moment after putting some thrust to the engines. Nightwing yelped and tumbled back into passenger compartment.

"He hasn't checked in with me," Barbara relayed to Timothy Drake. The young hero, the third person to assume the mantle of Robin, sighed heavily. "Something wrong?" she asked.

"It's the boss," he said, referring to the Batman. "He's been on me to pump Wonder Girl of all people for information on where Nightwing is at. Like she would know!"

Barbara wanted to tell him what she knew, but if the Batman hadn't, then it wasn't her place to let the cat out of the bag. "I can't help you, sport," she said. He responded cheerfully enough given the situation and then signed off. 

Barbara wheeled over to a large map of the United States. A tracking device in Nightwing's mask said he was in Cincinnati. Barbara had been giving Batman excuses for the better part of a day, covering for her friend as he had asked. She had accessed the Justice League Watchtower logs and had discovered that Wonder Woman had missed her tour at monitor duty. "Personal reasons" was what the excuse had said.

The former Batgirl merely shook her head. The first commandment of Gotham was "Thou shall not have any secrets from the Bat". She was breaking that commandment and there would be hell to pay. She wondered why she was even doing it. A small voice in her mind said to contact Batman, to tell him exactly what Nightwing was up to.

An evil smile crossed her lips as she imagined her former boyfriend being scolded by the Batman in front of Wonder Woman. The she realized that she was being petty and though she was human, she did not have the time or luxury of such emotions. A little girl's future was being decided by Nightwing's actions; he was trying to save her from a life and death she didn't deserve and Barbara Gordon's broken heart would have to wait.

Still, she was lonely as she was sure Nightwing was as well; it was just that it seemed as if it was easier for him to move on. It wasn't fair and again she felt like crying at the futility. "How can I live in a world where men can change the course of rivers with their hands and not be able to walk?"

If she could walk again, then what? Did her legs and her mobility really define who she was? She was so much more than the sum of her actions. She was not just the former Batgirl; she had been a congresswoman, a librarian, a co-ed and a little girl once. 

She smacked a palm on the chair's armrest. "Damn it, Babs, get your head out of your ass!" Ever since Nightwing had brought her the information regarding Black Robin she had been in this funk. At first, she thought it had all been about their break-up. It had been too amicable, just like any other time. Because they didn't throw things at each other, it seemed as if there was no closure and that it never really ended.

Then came the realization that Dick Grayson could have a child out there and if that were true, then Barbara Gordon would never, ever be the most important think in his life again. She was about to be replaced through no fault of her own by a little girl with blond hair and pretty blue eyes.

"Blue eyes…pretty…" she murmured. She immediately rolled over to her laptop and moved the mouse over an icon and double-clicked. A copy of the DNA profile that Superman and Nightwing obtained popped up. She put her glasses on and started reading through the report, paying especially close attention to the handwritten notes at the bottom. 

Without removing her eyes from the screen she reached over for a special cell phone that was linked directly to the JLA Watchtower. In her identity of Oracle, she was a reserve member of the Justice League, which gave her access to the world's largest database on metahumans.

The other end picked up. "Watchtower, Plastic Man here. Please tell me you're an out of work stripper looking for a job."

"This is Oracle."

"Hey, sweetie! Wanna come up and keep me warm? It's so cold on the moon," was the reply. Plastic Man was the professional flirt of the team. Originally recruited with Oracle and the Huntress by Batman, he had survived several membership shifts because, despite his village idiot attitude, he was a competent hero.

"I need you to look something up for me; it should be in the old case files that I haven't had a chance to incorporate into the database…"

Nightwing slowly crawled into the window of the hotel that had been rented under the name of Richard and Diana Prince, his head hurting from hours of rooting through the files of the local public assistance office. Wonder Woman poked her head around the corner and satisfied that it was him, went back to her work on the computer.

"I take it back," he said as he dropped onto the couch that had been his bed for the past three days.

"Take what back?" she asked.

"Next time, you can carry me; I'm dead. I can't believe the number of people who apply for benefits." He closed his eyes and then snapped them open. He was not going to go to sleep again without showering. "Well, I have to head back to the 'Haven in order to work my shift."

"Ah, yes, the importance of the secret identity," Wonder Woman said. 

"I have my reasons," he responded as he dragged himself away from the couch. "Will you be able to keep up the vigil for me?"

"Of course," she said without further comment. Nightwing approached slowly to see exactly what she was doing. "Please go shower, Richard," she said, wrinkling her nose.

He shuffled away and she turned back to her journal.

…and I continue to be impressed by his willpower to continue on. It is not an obsession, but more like a mission. He realizes that Andrea's life is not in immediate danger and he seems to have finally come to terms with his past. Perhaps I was a little too tough on him for his past sexual escapades, but he needed it. If he can't remember if he slept with a woman, then he shouldn't have to begin with.

**_On the plus side, I am finally seeing what it is Donna finds so fascinating with him. I knew no little boys growing up, but Richard recollects about his time with his parents in the circus with such joy that I can almost imagine him being a bubbly child so full of life. He often puts on a face, like Bruce, but when he lets his guard down I think I'm actually seeing more of John Grayson. He is intelligent, charming and quite handsome, but he also is in touch with his emotional side._**

**_I always assumed that since we were on the same team, Batman and I would become good friends. Both of us have that aristocratic background, but he is too much of an elitist. Though he fights for the common man, Batman has nothing in common with him. Richard, on the other hand, was not born into money, but instead worked with his family until his parents were killed. It is a difference that I find fascinating._**

**_If I were a young girl again (Merciful Minerva that was so long ago!), I'd say I was starting to develop a crush on him. Hera knows it's been a long time since I've been able to enjoy myself in the company of a man. I suppose this is more about just working together than anything else. I'm not used to these "team-ups"._**

**_Richard will be leaving in a few hours and then it will be time to do things my way. While I'm sure that going through files in the dark is fun, I prefer the more direct approach. I think that this may be a situation where my diplomatic credentials may be of some use…_**


	5. Chapter 5

Nightwing: Out of Time 3 – The Hunt for Black Robin

Chapter 5

By Christopher W. Blaine

e-mail: darth_yoshi@yahoo.com

DISCLAIMER: Nightwing™ and all other characters and situations portrayed in this story are ©2002 by DC Comics Inc., an AOL/Time-Warner Company, and are used without permission for fan-related entertainment purposes only. No profit is made from this writing. This original story is ©2002 by Christopher W. Blaine and may not be reproduced in part or as a whole without the express consent of the author.

"I wanted to thank you again for agreeing to see me," the computer-designed head commented from the man's laptop screen. It was the light green representation of Oracle that was used for those people who did not know she was really Barbara Gordon. In fact, many people could not swear as to whether or not Oracle was even a woman.

Or human.

"It's quite all right, really. I know of your relationship with Batman and any friend of his is a friend of mine, even when it involves private matters," the man said, again emphasizing that he was extending a great courtesy to Oracle.

"Then I will get to the point. You, of course, read my earlier e-mail. It gave specific details concerning certain genetic traits. I am sure that you are certainly aware if such a condition exists in your family." The screen image flickered a bit. "I am not at liberty to discuss the reasons why I need this information."

"It is rather personal," the man began, running his hand through his hair. "However, if you must know, then the answer is yes. The trait was passed down by my mother. It is prevalent within my family."

"I hate to sound so blunt," Oracle said while she wrote down some notes on the other end, "but several members of your family have had…well, let's just say aggressive tendencies in the past."

The man sighed. "Yes, we are not known for our cool temperaments." He then leaned forward, as if the computer-generated image could actually see him. "Why aren't you at liberty to discuss why you need to know these things. Normally, I would send you away without another word and I strongly suspect that the Batman does not know you are questioning me."

The Oracle head regarded him and again there was a flicker. The distance between the two was great and it required Oracle to route the transmission through several secure routers. All of that was causing the signal to sometimes skip a beat. "Why would you say that?" she asked.

"Because I know Batman all too well. If he wanted this information, he would contact me personally…not through his associates." 

Barbara snorted. The man obviously thought more of his relationship with Batman than Batman did! "You're right, he doesn't know because I'm not doing this for him. In fact, I never said I was."

The man chuckled. "You are a strange one, Oracle! Then you must be doing this for Nightwing."

Oracle did not respond and Barbara pondered the statement. It hadn't been a probing question, but put forth like a fact of life. Oracle and Nightwing belonged together he seemed to be saying. Was that how the community at large saw them, always as a couple? It seemed as if they were breaking some natural law by not being together.

Or was that simply wishful thinking?

"I'm going to sign off now, I have more pressing business to attend to," he said. Then he added, "If you ever find it in your heart, I would like to know why you had to have this information. Of course, you realize that I will be making my own inquiries."

He ended the transmission before she could reply, not that she knew what she was going to say anyway. Taking the headset off and shutting down her Oracle program, she turned to the woman behind her.

Dinah Lance was a beautiful woman by any standards, but the frown she wore under her golden hair did nothing to improve her looks. She had stood by silently during the whole conversation, shaking her head most of the time. "You know how much I hate these cloak-and-dagger type things. The man had a right to know," she said in a stern voice.

"That's not really up to us to decide," Barbara said.

Dinah was taken aback. "Really? Then whose decision is it? I've been busting my hump as Black Canary out there, tracing down leads that end up going nowhere and you come across a big, fat one and the best way to confirm it is to ask the guy. Spill the beans, go for the gusto!"

Barbara wheeled over to some houseplants and picked up the water sprayer. As she sprayed the plants, Dinah continued. "It's about Nightwing, isn't it?"

"You're dreaming again, Dinah."

"Bull! I know this road, honey; Oliver Queen drove me down it several times. You guys break up though you can't figure out why and now he's out carousing the country with the world's most perfect woman…"

"She isn't perfect," Barbara said, moving over to a fern that was showing some brown.

Dinah laughed. "Have you ever actually met her? Tall, strong, giant boobs, thighs and buns of steel, perfect teeth! I have no doubt that she was molded from clay and not born, though I would assume at first glance she was sculpted by a man."

"It's over between Nightwing and I," Barbara said.

"No, it isn't," Dinah responded as she walked over and turned the wheelchair around. She dropped to her haunches and took the spray bottle away. Barbara was starting to tear up. The Woman who was the Black Canary spoke with a soft voice. "You wanted to verify the information all by yourself and present it to him, didn't you. Make him think of how much he needs you…"

"He doesn't need me…"

Dinah grabbed Barbara's hands and patted them. "God, Ollie used to make me feel that way! The funny things is that, really, you two seem to belong together, but you just can't seem to get it to work. You blame it on your legs, he blames it on his…hell, I don't know. Barbara, you knew him long before you lost the use of your legs; didn't you love him then?"

She nodded and sniffed. "Yes, I did."

"And he loved you, too. It's obvious! But…and this is a very big but…there is something keeping you two apart and I'd have to say its fear."

"Fear?"

"Yeah; and it is going to keep ripping the two of you apart until you both overcome it. You're so afraid he'll end up getting killed and he looks at you and realizes his worst nightmares have already come true and there was nothing he could do about it." Dinah stood up. "If you two don't stop worrying, then you'll never solve the problem."

"What if it's too late?"

Dinah shrugged. "There are no definites in life, honey. Maybe this last break-up did him in. Maybe he's tired. He's a good guy but I'm sure he has his limits. That's like with this kid thing; I dated Ra's Al Ghul, remember? If that cold-hearted bastard did something like this to me, I'd kill him! Nightwing has to be on the very edge…"

"I don't want to think about that," Barbara said. She looked back at the laptop. "He needs to know this information."

"You solved one part of his mystery, though I'm sure he's not going to be very happy when he finds out who the mother is," Dinah commented as she walked into the kitchen. "You got any beer? I could use a beer. A cold beer and a hot bath…"

The man looked down at his laptop, the small mail icon was flashing. He smiled, as he had expected his words would have forced Oracle to reveal her secrets. It was one thing to call up and ask a general question, but probing into a family's medical history was something else entirely.

He double-clicked on the icon and the message popped up. He read it quickly.

Thirty seconds later, he had jumped from his balcony and was flying through the air, trying to get to America as quickly as he could.

Officer Richard Grayson finished the final report for his shift and stretched. He would be off in another fifteen minutes and the bribe he had paid to the watch commander ensured another 48 hours off in order to pursue "a girl" as he had put it.

Which girl was he chasing in his mind right now, he wondered. Certainly Andrea was always in his thoughts, but he basically knew he had some time to get to her and he really didn't know what he'd do. Would Rebecca Lawson, the assassin who was taking care of her, try to kill Nightwing or would she willingly give up the little girl to her father.

He had considered that maybe Rebecca was the actual mother; perhaps he had encountered the assassin during his career. Only the Lord knew how many times he and Batman had gone up against the forces of Ra's Al Ghul. He hadn't slept with any of the criminal's underlings, but that apparently didn't matter. If you had the right recipe, you could cook up a baby with little effort apparently.

Yet, he confessed internally, he found his thoughts drifting to Wonder Woman. Why was he attracted to her? It really had nothing to do with her physical appearance; he had been with Kory for years and he had also had a secret affair with Donna Troy, Wonder Woman's twin. There really wasn't anything new for him to see under the costume.

He guessed it was her personality. He had always been attracted to strong women, women who were ready to kick-butt and take names. Wonder Woman was all of that plus something else. When he was with her, he got the sense he was speaking to a real legend, much the same feeling her got when he was with Superman. She radiated power and charisma and that had an intoxicating effect on him.

Plus, he had to admit, it sure seemed like she was flirting with him. That wasn't possible was it? But she herself had pointed out that physically, there wasn't much difference between them. She was older, but she was also immortal. 

Was it just wishful thinking on his part, or was he reeling from his break-up with Barbara. Ever since he had returned from the future, he had been haunted by Black Robin's words of how he and Barbara never lasted. Was that true only in that future, or was that the way things were supposed to go.

Obviously, that future was not going to occur. He had already warned Wonder Woman of the impending breast cancer and he had sat down with the Red Tornado, another hero shattered in the future, to talk about life's problems. In the future, the Red Tornado was more robotic than he usually was and the android had hinted that he had killed a man in his past.

So, that future would never come to be, which threw in all kinds of time-paradoxes. If that future never occurred, then how would he know about any of the things he talked to the other heroes about? He had posed the question to Wally, who as the Flash traveled time frequently, but he simply shrugged, feigning stupidity.

Still, it seemed as if he and Babs were never going to get their fair shake in life and maybe he just needed to convince himself of that. It seemed that the harder he tried with her, the harder she pushed away and that was getting old very quick. He was still young and in no hurry to try and walk down the aisle again (his marriage to Kory had been destroyed by the villainous Raven on the wedding day). Maybe he needed to just push Babs out of his mind and heart and make room for someone else.

He tried to imagine him and Wonder Woman going out, but realized that Donna might object. Of course, nothing had ever stopped Donna from pursuing other relationships, even two or three with Roy! That brought up another issue: would he be dating Wonder Woman only because he couldn't date Donna? Certainly Donna had made it clear that she did not want any of her friendships to go beyond a certain level, ever.

Dick smiled to himself; he was already imagining himself dating Wonder Woman. What would Bruce think? What would Superman think?

What would Aquaman think? 

It was no secret that the King of the Sea had a torch burning for the Amazon princess, but it had never gone beyond flirting for all he knew. Of course, all she did was flirt with Dick as well.

"Grayson! Pick up line one!" someone yelled.

Dick reached over to the phone and dialed into the extension. "Officer Grayson."

"Will you be eating before you get here?" Wonder Woman asked.

"No," he said, checking his watch. 

"I'll order room service then," she said.

He nodded. "Make it a candlelight dinner," he joked.

"Oh, most certainly…officer," she replied before hanging up.

"Well, if anything, she's got a great sense of humor," he said aloud. Hopefully, she also had some information he could use. 

Nightwing climbed into the apartment via the window for the bedroom. Diana never stayed in here when he was expected to arrive. He was tired and famished, now regretting not stopping to get something to eat. The room service food was not the greatest in the world.

He turned on the light and saw a file folder lying on the bed. He opened it and scanned the information. A Swiss bank account in the name of Rebecca Lawson, formerly of Star City, had been emptied of several hundred thousand dollars. The transaction had taken place via telephone from Midway City on the same day that Andrea and her mother had been reported as leaving. The money was then dropped into ten different bank accounts around the United States, obviously to keep confusion up for Ra's people.

Earlier that day, a deed was recorded in the Hamilton County clerks' office for a new home purchased by Ms. Lawson. The amount of the home matched closely to a deposit made into an account in Lexington, Kentucky. There were other papers as well, detailing withdrawals being made from the other accounts and Nightwing wondered if there was not a whole network, a sort of Underground Railroad, established for former assassins.

Then he noted that one of the withdrawals involved a direct transfer to the account of an organization that specialized in hiding battered spouses. "Pretty damn smart. She's hooked up with people who already know how to hide from everyone. No wonder Ra's couldn't find them; he was up against a sophisticated network that could not afford to be infiltrated."

Dian's UN contacts had paid off big time. He wanted to go to the home immediately, but he knew it would be better to eat. Dealing with ex-assassins on an empty stomach was not a good idea.

He pulled off his mask and listened, just to make sure that no visitors were present before he walked out in costume. Satisfied that they were alone, he opened the door and walked into a darkened room. Diana sat a table, wearing a long gown that wasn't too fancy but wasn't tacky either.

On the center of the table was a single candle.**__**


	6. Chapter 6

Nightwing: Out of Time 3 – The Hunt for Black Robin

Chapter 6

By Christopher W. Blaine

e-mail: darth_yoshi@yahoo.com

DISCLAIMER: Nightwing™ and all other characters and situations portrayed in this story are ©2002 by DC Comics Inc., an AOL/Time-Warner Company, and are used without permission for fan-related entertainment purposes only. No profit is made from this writing. This original story is ©2002 by Christopher W. Blaine and may not be reproduced in part or as a whole without the express consent of the author.

"Last night was…wonderful," Diana commented as she took a bite of the cinnamon and raison bagel.

Dick rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "I think the wine was a little much…"

"My mother brought it back with her when she returned from the 1940's," she replied. The mother of Wonder Woman and queen of the Amazon nation of Thymerscia had traveled in time back to World War 2 where she became the so-called "Golden Age" Wonder Woman. "I thought it was very good, but then I can't get drunk."

"I wasn't drunk, I just don't really like wine," he said as he stabbed a spoon into his Cheerios. "Never cared for it."

"I suppose you have to develop a taste for it. It's a staple on my home island."

"So I assumed. Donna always liked a good bottle of wine with her pasta."

"You know," Diana said shyly, "you're the first man who ever had a, shall we say, romantic dinner with me that didn't try to sleep with me."

He shrugged. "Maybe I listened to what you said before. Maybe I need to start considering more than the physical."

She nodded. "You realize, of course, that this could be the beginning of something scandalous. Whatever will everyone say?"

"Nothing. I'm not talking," he said with a smile. "However, it was nice to sit down and just…relax." He finished his cereal and wiped his mouth on the napkin. "I'd like to do it again."

Diana regarded him. He was so mature for his age and she tried to remember what she was like when she was that young. A royal pain-in-the-rear for her mother is what came to mind! Several centuries did have a somewhat calming effect on a person. She wondered if it was proper for her to even be considering becoming involved with someone who was only a child when she first arrived in the "Man's World".

She had tried her hand at liaisons with several of the larger-than-life personalities she had encountered, for it was natural for her to seek companionship. Despite her origins and her abilities, she was still very much human on the inside. She had all of the desires and wants that any other woman had, her only problem being her vocation. Not many men could feel secure in a relationship with a woman who could move, literally, mountains and was older than most modern nations. She intimidated men, even those who were as powerful as a Superman.

"I think I would like that, Richard, provided we keep it…private. I especially think that Donna would be concerned at the very least," she said.

"It isn't like we're going together," Dick reminded her.

She laughed. "Just like a man! Unless it's written in stone, it isn't so!" She stood up and brushed the crumbs off her robe. "Come, Richard, we have a little girl to go meet."

Per Degaton nudged his companion awake. "Time to get suited up."

The other man caressed the stubble on his chin. "What the hell? How do you know?"

"I travel through time; believe me, I know when its time," the villain answered. They were seated in a conversion van, one that was too old for the time period, but one that suited their purposes just fine. The other man continued to grumble, but decided not to outright argue. The payoff was too sweet for this gig. If he took out this one hero, then he would never have to work again. He could invest his hard earnings from the various bank jobs he had pulled off and live off of the proceeds. 

He began to put on his costume, slowly pulling on an outfit he still thought was ridiculous. He had observed several of the costumes of the people of this era and found his own to be lacking a certain flair. Many of the old-timers, members of the Justice Society, still wore their old fighting togs. The man thought they looked stupid.

"How much time do I have?" he asked as he put on his helmet.

Per Degaton regarded his watch and then started fiddling with his belt buckle. If only Nightwing understood exactly who it was he was facing, if only the young hero could begin to comprehend the wave of vengeance that was getting ready to wash over him. "About thirty minutes," he said.

"Good," was the reply. "And no killing of the kid?'

"No…leave the child to me."

"I flew all night to get here; you must tell me where to find this Oracle," the man said. Batman regarded him and then turned around to look out over Gotham City. The man realized that he was speaking gibberish, that he had not explained the entire situation.

For the next few minutes, the man relayed the story, as he knew it, providing the details that Oracle had provided him. Throughout the entire narrative, the Batman did not move, did not reveal any emotion. Finally, the man stopped and took a breath. "Now, you can plainly see why I must speak personally with Oracle. I must find out who the father is!"

Batman pulled his cape in around himself. "I think I know who the father is."

"Then please tell me, man! Don't you realize how important this is to me? To my family?" The man was on the verge of tears. Batman expected that, though; this man had always been too emotional for his own good. 

"The first thing you need to do is calm down," the Batman said. "The second thing is to wait here until I return."

The man started to protest, but then backed down. If there was one thing he understood about the Caped Crusader it was that patience was the only virtue he rewarded. "Very well, but I can't promise that I wait long. This is too important."

The Batman nodded, threw a line over to the next building and jumped from the rooftop.

"I'm in trouble, aren't I?" Barbara Gordon asked as dark shadow entered her window. It was already early morning and the sun was up, but the Batman still managed to find shadows to hide in as he made his way across the city and into her apartment. He said nothing as he stepped through and then he moved like a wraith, seeming to glide next to her. 

"I want to know everything," he said. There was no need to tell her what it was exactly he needed to know. She already knew.

The story came forth in heavy sighs and in a lamenting tone. It started with the sighting of Per Degaton in downtown Bludhaven by Jonathan Law, the former Tarantula. Then she detailed the adventures of Nightwing through the past (and Batman did seem to recall an event in which Nightwing had helped him in a case years before Dick actually assumed the identity. He made a mental note to speak with Zatanna the Sorceress to find out exactly what was involved in that spell of hers to send Nightwing back to the future. He should have remembered everything!) and into the future. 

The she began to talk about Andrea Lawson and the investigation that Nightwing and Wonder Woman had begun. She followed that up with a detailed explanation of her own suspicions of who's DNA was the maternal component of the little girl. "So, I just tried to follow up…"

"You're follow-up was sloppy; don't you realize who the person is that you've upset? He isn't just another face in the crowd, this is someone who has influence and most of all, is a friend of mine. A trusted friend," he said, indicating that she had treaded on very thin ice by not keeping him informed.

"It was Dick's idea," she offered as a defense.

"Dick has many ideas; I expect you to keep me informed of them. He's not stupid, he's just…anxious." He took the file folder she held up as a peace offering. "Where are they now?"

"Cincinnati following up Wonder Woman's leads," she said. She saw a slight shudder go through the Dark Knight. He completely resented the idea of an outsider being involved in "family" business. A small part of her clapped in excitement.

"Diana is a capable enough fighter, I just don't know about her detective skills," he said, rubbing his chin. He didn't know quite what to do. The last person in the world he expected to be helping his son was the Amazon princess. "Download all of your files on this to the Batcomputer."

He turned and started to leave when she called after him. "So, I was right?" 

He stopped and slowly turned around. "From what I've heard, you probably are."

Barbara nodded and began to consider the implications of the information.

Rebecca Lawson watched as the moving truck pulled away, leaving her alone with the possessions she had purchased in a late night estate sale. Andrea was still taking her nap, curled up next to her scrapbook of the Justice League.

She was amazed at how many twists and turns her life had taken since the day she had made the decision to rescue the little baby that had stolen her heart. Was she a good mother? She had no way of knowing, nothing to compare her efforts to.

She had no memory of her own mother and what she remembered of her father was too painful. He had "trained" her though, made her used to doing the things that men and women wanted done behind closed doors. Those skills helped her move along the ladder of success in Two-Face's organization until she was "sold" to Ra's Al Ghul. Al Ghul then turned her into a killer in a scant four-year's time. When women her age were graduating college and starting their careers, Rebecca was sleeping with future presidents and killing their enemies.

She started to move to open a box that was marked "dishes", wondering what was actually in the box, when she noted the van waiting down the road. It did not match the neighborhood. Rebecca was no expert on cars and trucks, but she knew the inside of many vans and she guessed the year of the vehicle. It was far too old for the area they lived in.

Her first thought was to run, run away to another city, another life. It was the wisest choice, especially if the van held any of Al Ghul's assassins. Then her mind drifted to the sleeping little girl who wanted nothing more than a stable life. She owed it to her. Perhaps if she defeated the best her former master could send at her he would leave her be?

A creak at the back door set her in motion. She had no weapon at hand, but she didn't really need one. Al Ghul's trainers had ensured that no matter what the conditions, she would be ready to fight.

Rebecca crept through the house like a cat, making no noises. She heard another sound and knew it was coming from the kitchen. She was there in three heartbeats, her hand drawn back, ready for the fatal heart strike.

Without looking, she threw the punch, only to have it blocked with the only known counter. She stared into the dark mask of Nightwing. "You!"

The hero ducked the next blow. "Hold on, Rebecca!"

She roared and kicked for his groin. When he brought his hands down to block, she faked and took her foot up higher to connect to his chin. His head snapped back, but he still held off on making his own strike against her. "Please, listen!"

Rebecca was beyond listening as all of her worst fears assailed her. Of all of the dangers he could face, Nightwing represented the greatest one. Here was someone who was not evil, someone who's only agenda would be the welfare of Andrea. She grabbed a large iron skillet and walloped him upside the head, sending him crashing to the floor even as the breakfast remains within it sprinkled him.

She went for the killing blow when a strong hand grabbed her wrist. "Hold, sister!"

Rebecca looked into the most beautiful face she had ever seen, besides Andrea's. "Wonder Woman?" she asked, suddenly feeling the fight drain from her. Despite her fear, she knew that she was no match for the Amazon. Nightwing had come prepared.

Nightwing groaned and rubbed his head, feeling the knot that was starting to form. It was times like this that he regretted not wearing a cowl. "What the hell was that for?"

"You're not taking her away!" Rebecca screamed.

"Now is not the time for hysterics," Wonder Woman said calmly.

Throwing caution to the wind, Rebecca put her free hand over Wonder Woman's and pressed. As she had hoped, the Amazon's musculature was very close to that of a normal human's and she was forced to release her grip. Before the stunned princess could react, Rebecca somersaulted back, kicking Wonder Woman full in the chin.

Rebecca assumed an offensive stance as Nightwing started to stand. "Would you please stop?" He again reached up to touch the tender spot on his skull. "We don't want to fight you!"

"Maybe one of us doesn't," Wonder Woman remarked as she rubbed her chin. "I'm inclined to show mercy but you are sorely tempting me, assassin!"

Rebecca did not say anything. She had no idea how the two of them could know so much about her, especially Wonder Woman. In the back of mind, she supposed it was always possible for the Batman to learn about her and Andrea, but Nightwing had never been considered a detective on the scale of his mentor; at least not in the criminal underworld. 

"Look," Nightwing pleaded, "we don't want to fight you…I'm just here to see my daughter!"

"She's not your daughter! She's mine!"

Nightwing shook his head. "No, she's mine and you know it." His voice softened and he took a step forward, keeping his hands out in front of him, palms up. "I've been to the future and I've met her and I've seen her die."

Rebecca's posture slumped a little. Nightwing took it as a good sign and took another tentative step towards her. He was within reach if she lunged. "You raised a good girl, but she ended up following in my footsteps. You can't train her for that."

Wonder Woman spoke. "As I understand it, she and I become very good friends in the future, teammates on the Justice League. I would very much like to prevent her death if I can."

The former assassin was frozen with confusion, unable to separate her desire to be a mother from her need to protect her child from a future that might happen. "I don't know…"

"Mommy?" a little voice asked and silence fell over the entire house as all eyes turned to a sleepy-eyed little girl standing at the foot of the stairs leading up. "Who is that mommy?"

Rebecca knew that it was over, that all of efforts were for naught. Now that the super-heroes had her scent, they would trail her even more relentlessly than Ra's Al Ghul's forces. It was simple: she had one of their own and like police officers chasing cop-killers, they would be like a rabid pack of dogs.

She sighed and put on her best smile. "Andrea…this is your father."


	7. Chapter 7

Nightwing: Out of Time 3 – The Hunt for Black Robin

Chapter 7

By Christopher W. Blaine

e-mail: darth_yoshi@yahoo.com

DISCLAIMER: Nightwing™ and all other characters and situations portrayed in this story are ©2002 by DC Comics Inc., an AOL/Time-Warner Company, and are used without permission for fan-related entertainment purposes only. No profit is made from this writing. This original story is ©2002 by Christopher W. Blaine and may not be reproduced in part or as a whole without the express consent of the author.

"Daddy?" the little girl started to say, her bottom lip quivering as she was on the verge of tears. 

Nightwing looked at her and saw those deep blue eyes and knew immediately that this was the person whom he had met in the future. This was his daughter, his flesh and blood, and his legacy. He slowly moved towards her, not sure of what to do. He could see that she was shaking with fear.

He wished that he had not come in costume; wished even more that Rebecca had not hit him so hard with the frying pan because his vision was still slightly blurry. "Andrea…"

"Are you my daddy?" she asked, hope in her voice.

He nodded slowly. "Yes…yes I am."

"Really?"

He reached up and pulled off his mask. "Yeah…my name is…." His response was cut off by his own scream as a bolt of lightning struck him hard in the chest. His body was sent flying across the room, where it hit hard against the wall.

Andrea screamed a piercing wail that seemed to drown out all other sounds and Nightwing found his head spinning. His chest was hot and he could tell he was burned pretty badly, but his insulated suit (a must for anyone who swung from skyscrapers) had protected him from being electrocuted.

He shook his head and looked just in time to see Wonder Woman throw her magic lasso around a man in a green costume with a lightning bolt on his chest. He recognized him from his constant search through the Batcomputer's files when he was a younger man. "Deathbolt," he murmured.

The man laughed and sent an electrical charge through the lasso. There was no chance of burning the mystical rope away, but it was an unfortunately good conductor of electricity. Obviously Wonder Woman had acted out of reflex and desire to spare the child or else she wouldn't have made such a blunder.

The Amazing Amazon screamed as thousands of volts ripped through her body. Her metahuman physique would save her life, but she would be out of the fight for a few moments just like Nightwing. 

Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion as he watched Deathbolt turn towards him again. He knew that Deathbolt had been something of a major super-villain in the early 1940's, but had disappeared sometime in 1942. It was presumed that he had either given up crime or had been killed by someone like the Ultra-Humanite. He was also a known associate of Per Degaton.

The very thought of the little redheaded wanna-be world tyrant invoked a terrifying rage within Nightwing. Many were the people he counted as his enemies, but very few, with the exception perhaps of Two-Face or the Joker, were able to affect him so personally. It had been Per Degaton that had staged the events that would lead to Andrea's death in the future. It was obvious now that he was here somewhere to try and end Nightwing's even earlier.

The hero tried to get up, to throw up some sort of defense, but his muscles were numb and his head was throbbing. Deathbolt smiled and again Andrea screamed. Nightwing's gaze immediately turned to her and he saw something from his worst nightmares. Behind her, Per Degaton, dressed in his black uniform, stood with his Luger pistol drawn.

"I told you I would get revenge on you!" he sneered. He then turned his head to Deathbolt. "Kill him! Kill them all!"

Nightwing started to say something as he turned to Deathbolt. Perhaps he could convince the villain to surrender. Maybe he could threaten him with the fact that the Batman would avenge his death! 

That made no sense his mind told him, as Deathbolt more than likely didn't even know whom the Batman was. 

"Bastard!" Rebecca cried out loud as she kicked Deathbolt in the ribs. The villain doubled over as his breath left him. "Forgot me, didn't you?"

Deathbolt coughed and reached out to block a punch to his face. A small jolt of electricity shot through Rebecca's arm, and she jumped back. "Kill that bitch!" Per Degaton cried.

"Mommy!" Andrea bellowed and Per Degaton smacked her. "Quiet, you insolent snot!"

Deathbolt saw the strike and look coldly at his employer. "Hey! What did I say?" He never got hear the reply as Rebecca grabbed him by the head and twisted. There was a snapping sound and Deathbolt's corpse fell to the floor. 

"No! No killing!" Nightwing finally was able to get out as he got to his knees. 

"Yes! More killing!" Per Degaton laughed as he drew a bead on Rebecca. Immediately, the assassin realized that she had made a fatal mistake by not going after the armed man first. That mistake was going to cost her life.

"Andrea?" she asked silently before the 9 millimeter bullet pushed through her skull and blew out the back of her head. 

Nightwing coughed and started scrambling, moving to catch the falling Rebecca. There was nothing from Andrea and Nightwing was silently thankful that Per Degaton's blow seemed to have knocked the child out. He did not want another child to witness the murder of a parent or loved one.

Her caught Rebecca and both fell to the blood-soaked floor. There was a shocked expression on her face and Nightwing burned inside with guilt. Had he bothered to scope the area first, even asked Wonder Woman to guard the side door that Deathbolt and Per Degaton had entered, then there may not have been two dead bodies in this home.

Police sirens could be heard wailing in the background and Nightwing looked up to see the Luger pointed at him. "I should kill you now, but I have a better idea…"

"Don't even think about it…" Nightwing threatened. 

Per Degaton looked down at Andrea and then at Nightwing. He pulled the trigger and shot the hero in the leg. He then took a step back as Nightwing put a hand over the bleeding wound. "I'm taking your daughter, Grayson," he said, noting the slight surprise in Nightwing's expression. "Oh, please, I'm not a dummy!"

"Leave her alone! If you have a problem, take me!" Nightwing pleaded.

Per Degaton pressed a button on his belt buckle and it started to flash. Immediately he and Andrea began to shimmer and fade. "I've perfected my time-travel controls, hero! I'm taking your brat and dropping her somewhere in the time stream!"

"No!"

"Maybe I'll raise her myself in the 1940's, or maybe I'll sell her to a caliph during the Crusades? Drop her off in the middle of the Black Death? Hmmmm…" Per Degaton taunted. The possibilities were endless and Nightwing realized that he had to act fast.

He pushed back the pain and focused his intense desire to save Andrea. He pushed off and leapt at the fading forms, but made contact far too late. They were already gone.

"No! No! No!" Nightwing screamed, beating his fists on the floor. He kept pounding, not even noticing when his hands went numb or when he broke through the floorboards. It continued for several minutes until a strong hand grabbed his shoulder.

Behind tear-filled eyes, he saw Wonder Woman holding his mask. "The police are here," she said.

Duty and obligation forced him to put aside his grief and he took the mask, applying some adhesive from his utility belt before putting it on. Just as he did so, the police stormed in telling them to put their hands up.

There was an exchange of words that was finally halted when Wonder Woman produced her JLA credentials. Both she and Nightwing gave their statements, but there really was nothing else they could do. A quick call to the JLA hotline confirmed that Wonder Woman and Nightwing, who was serving in an advisory capacity, were there on official JLA business. Wonder Woman made a mental note to thank the Atom for covering for them.

One of the police officers asked Nightwing if he was okay and for a moment, he felt like just telling the unknown man everything. He was a fellow officer and the Blue Brotherhood had no geographical boundaries. Only another cop could understand the frustration at having failed completely in protecting the public.

Perhaps if he had been acting in his capacity as a police officer, he might have, but being a super-hero was something else entirely. Nightwing walked with the modern gods; he was there with the living embodiment of Aphrodite! Though they served the same purpose, their methods made them strangers. Nightwing told the man he was fine and after both heroes refused paramedic treatment, they left.

Nightwing was not surprised to find Batman waiting for them at their hotel room. "What do you want?" he snapped.

Wonder Woman was about to leave but Batman halted her. "Please, stay," he asked. She was shocked by his politeness.

"Dick…what's going on?" Batman asked, pushing back his cowl. Underneath, the sweat-stained face of Bruce Wayne implored his son to open up to him. 

Nightwing stepped towards him and collapsed into his father's arms.

"I've taken the liberty of renting out the entire floor," Bruce Wayne said as he stepped out onto the balcony. "I've got Blue Beetle, Booster Gold and Plastic Man throwing a party as cover. It will cost me a small fortune…"

"Hookers?" Diana asked as she sipped her orange juice. 

"Rubber chickens and grape jelly," he commented sourly. "Don't ask…I didn't."

They were silent for a moment, each one looking out at the Ohio River and the barges going by. Bruce finally broke the silence. "Do you love him?"

She didn't turn to face him. "It's none of your business. Suffice to say we will be exploring all avenues as time permits. We both agree on taking it slow; especially now."

"We'll need your help, or at least your mother's."

She nodded. "So you intend to hunt through time for her?"

He walked to the balcony and took a drink of his coffee. It was a pleasant morning, not at all like Gotham. He missed his city. "Dick practically coerced Wally to travel back in time to the 1940's to look for her." 

"You can't change the past…"

"I'd do the same thing."

"I take it Wally was unsuccessful," she said. It was a statement of fact because if he had found Andrea, they wouldn't be there now. "What next?"

There was a knock at the door and Bruce turned suddenly. "There is another interested party in this matter. We need to get his input."

The billionaire walked back into the hotel room and went to the door. When he opened it, a tall, brown-haired man stood. He wore a suit cut in the European fashion that accentuated his muscular physique. "Bruce," the man said, extending his hand.

Bruce took it and showed him in. The man regarded Diana and bowed. "Princess," he said.

"Prince," she replied, suddenly understanding.

"Bryon?" Dick said as he walked into the main room. He was clad in a bathrobe and his eyes were red and puffy. He took the offered hand. "Why are you here?"

Prince Bryon Markov was a friend more of Bruce's than Dick's. As Geo-Force, he had been a member of the Outsiders, a group formed by Batman when his philosophies clashed with those of the original Justice League. Ruler of a small European nation, he was, for the most part, retired from being a super-hero. 

It was Geo-Force's son, Earthian, that murdered Andrea in the future after Nightwing was able to diffuse the bomb that was meant to destroy New Metropolis. "It is a family matter," the prince stated.

Dick didn't understand. The only family that Bryon had that Dick was even remotely familiar with was Tara Markov, Bryon's sister. The young woman had once been a member of the Teen Titans, as Terra. She had betrayed the Titans, though, allying herself with Deathstroke the Terminator. During the final climatic battle, Tara killed herself in an uncontrolled rage.

 "Tara?"

Bryon nodded. "Yes; it appears my sister is your daughter's mother. No doubt Ra's Al Ghul was hoping to have Andrea inherit our powers…"

"I never…I mean, I didn't touch…"

Diana came up and stood next to him, taking his hand into hers. "We know, Richard."

"You can understand how important this little girl is to me," Bryon explained. "I loved my little sister very much. I never knew the extent of her madness, a genetic trait I'm afraid."

"Her eyes," Dick said, remembering Tara's deep blue ones. "Your sister was very beautiful."

Bryon accepted the compliment. "Thank you." He paused for a moment. "I would like to join you on any further quests for her. In fact, if you do find her, I would like to propose that she be raised in my country. It may be the safest place for her."

Dick actually found himself warming to the idea until he remembered Earthian. "Bryon, do you have a son?"

Bryon turned a shade of red. "No…I cannot have children. That is why young Andrea is so important. She is the heir to the throne."

"Then how…?"

He once again heard the screams, the wailing of the little girl who was calling for her father. Her voice sounded like his own that fateful night when his parent's plummeted to the ground. He had cried that night, but not as much as he had been crying the past few days. With his parent's deaths, there was finality.

With Andrea, there was only torture.

He awoke again, his eyes popping open and looking to the clock next to his bed. He had only been asleep for fifteen minutes.

He hadn't been able to sleep more than that since it had happened. 

He felt Diana stir next to him and he quietly slipped out of bed and padded into the living room of his small apartment. He wondered how Donna and Barbara were going to react to the news, but he supposed that they would eventually accept it. Would it last? He wondered about that a lot, but then he had learned to pace himself when it came to women. "Don't try to marry every single one; don't use them either," he said silently.

He got a glass of warm milk and went to sit on his couch. His leg was healing quite well, but then when you have an Amazon nurse, you tend to get better real quick. He looked over at the pictures on the table, especially the newest one.

Bryon had been kind enough to give him a photograph of Tara Markov when she had been a little girl. Long before she had received her powers and gone insane. The resemblance was uncanny. And he mentally smacked himself for not seeing it before.

It would be some time before he would be ready to continue the journey as Bruce had pointed out. While it ate at him not to be doing anything, he didn't know what he was supposed to be doing. Andrea could be anywhere, at any time. Several members of the Justice Society had already begun scouring their records looking for any hints of Per Degaton's moves. As soon as he got a real clue, he would act upon it.

There was also the matter of Earthian. If Bryon could not have children, then was Earthian a plant in the future Justice League? Or was it possible that Dick had been taken through Hypertime into a possible future? It was too confusing for him to consider right now. He had to get up in five hours for work. He couldn't keep bribing his way out of duty.

Diana walked into the room; her nude form silhouetted by the moonlight and Dick felt a strange stirring deep within him. It was like being hungry, thirsty and wanting to ride a roller coaster all wrapped into one. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," he said, getting up. She stepped up, lowered her head and kissed him. "What was that for?" he asked.

"You looked like you needed it," she said.

"Thanks."

She wiggled her eyebrows. "Do you know what I need?"

He chuckled. "Didn't you give me a lecture about sex and…"

She kissed him again. "I told you, basically, to make up your mind and be responsible. I'm a member of the Justice League…you don't get more responsible than that."

He kissed her neck. "Plastic Man is part of the League," he joked.

She reached down and hoisted him over her shoulder. "Enough talk! Men talk too much. Must be to make up for something they lack…such as stamina!"

He laughed and pretended to struggle as they went back into the bedroom.

Two hours later, his eyes popped open again.

He could still hear the screams.

"Daaaaaadddddddddyyyyyyyy!"


End file.
